


Disciplined Dissidence

by Chess_Blackfyre



Series: A Yellow Rose [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Formerly Tranquil Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Gen, Inspired by Hamilton, Mages and Templars, Templar critical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:55:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24937891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chess_Blackfyre/pseuds/Chess_Blackfyre
Summary: “We don’t have the manpower to take the castle. Either we find another way in or give up this nonsense and go and get the Templars."“As if they wouldn’t just try to kill me on principle.”When Cullen objects to the decision to approach the Redcliffe mages, Elsa breaks down why her approaching the Templars would, frankly, be a horrible decision all-around.
Series: A Yellow Rose [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795546
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Disciplined Dissidence

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, this entire story was inspired by me listening to Cabinet Battle 1&2 on the Hamilton soundtrack

“We don’t have the manpower to take the castle. Either we find another way in or give up this nonsense and go and get the Templars."

“As if they wouldn’t just try to kill me on principle.”

The gauntlet was thrown, and both parties studied each other from across the war table. Cullen, at least somewhat offended on his former compatriot’s behalf; and Elsa, unrepentant, back straight, eyebrow cocked, ‘I said what I said’ radiating off of her in waves.

The look that passed between the pair of blondes was one of two people who have known each other for a very long time and knew where each other’s (hopefully only metaphorical) skeletons were buried. Not so much sizing each other up as stocking ammunition and deciding the best places to aim. Cassandra crossed her arms but made no move to interrupt. Josephine and Leliana exchanged a glance as the ambassador prepared herself to soothe stoked tempers. It would be no good to have the Inquisition leadership be at each other's throats.

Fingers drummed against the hilt of the sword. Icy blue eyes glanced down, but only for a moment. They both know he wouldn’t draw it. “What are you suggesting?”

“That from everything I’ve seen of the Templar Order’s behavior so far, Theirinfall Redoubt will be as much a danger as Redcliffe Castle,” Elsa explained, brushing back her bangs. The motion, intentional or no, directed one's eyes towards the sunburst scar, long healed but still prominent on her forehead.

Cullen did not back down, but crossed his arms and bade her continue. “Well, do enlighten us, then.”

An impatient noise. “Do we really—“

“Yes, Cassandra. This is apparently a conversation that needs to happen,” hands planted on hips, the mage begins. “Cullen, why do you keep insisting on approaching the Templars for help?

“I’ve already told you,” he sighs with the weariness of a repeated conversation. “Their abilities may be capable of suppressing the Breach so your mark could close it. Not to mention how an alliance with the Order would add legitimacy to our cause, and how they are some of the best-trained warriors in Thedas. Both great assets if the Inquisition is to try and restore peace."

“None of those are bad points,” Elsa concedes, and the commander seems surprised she would even admit that much. (Perhaps watching Meredith and Orsino bicker for ten years, each of them addressing a brick wall for all the other would concede or back down, left him with Expectations for how this would go. The so-called Herald of Andraste had been Orsino’s apprentice, once upon a time.) “But all of those rest on one idea: that a significant number of the Order would actually be open to joining us.”

“Due to Josephine’s work, and your own actions, we should have more than enough clout to approach them for an alliance. If the mages have already sworn themselves to a Tevinter magister—“

“That’s not important at the moment,” her hand fluttered as if to brush his words away like flies. Elsa pursed her lips and thought a moment. “Cullen, be honest. What was your first thought after seeing that I wasn’t Tranquil anymore?”

The Commander braced himself for something but then decided to accept whatever it was with a sigh. “Possession did cross my mind. Or some other kind of blood magic.” By the Seeker’s reaction—a slight pause, a readjusting stance—he hadn’t been the only one.

Elsa responded to that with a nod. “Thank you for your honesty. Now add that reaction to an entire garrison of Templars who know for a _fact_ that I am an apostate. Templars who—and I cannot stress this enough—specifically broke off from the Chantry because they felt they weren’t allowed enough freedom to hunt down and kill apostates."

An instinct to defend his former comrades and a look almost as cold as the ice from Elsa's magic. “That is a _massive_ oversimplification of what happened.”

“Yet, is it false?” The warrior opened his mouth but closed it when he could find no appropriate rebuttal. Josephine had always appreciated his forthrightness. “So, I, Elsa Trevelyan, am an apostate, mysteriously no longer Tranquil, and the figurehead of a denounced heretical institution.” She threw her hands up. “Even if I were to agree to approach them—and trust me, the only way you’d get me there is either unconscious or Cassandra physically dragging me while I kick and scream in the least dignified way possible--What possible scenario do you see happening that _doesn't_ end with me getting stabbed on principle? Because I’ve been told that it’s very bad for my health.”

“You—“ he stopped, sighed, and realized that arguing the point further would just be for his own belligerence, “—make a few good points.”

“Good,” Elsa smiled, offering a proverbial olive branch. “Now that’s settled, does anyone have any ideas for getting through to the nigh-impregnable castle?"

“Yes, actually,” Leliana smiled.

* * *

art of Elsa curtesy of feylen on tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Cullen: We should approach with the Templars.
> 
> Elsa, internally: You must be out of yOUR GODDAMN MIND IF YOU THINK—
> 
> It's always been a little weird to me how surprisingly chill the Templars are if you show up with a Dalish, Tal-Vashoth or a Mage Inquisitor. Like, I understand that for gameplay reasons you can’t exactly have them stabbing the player character the minute you show up (the Envy demon takes care of that) but given their stated goals and values as an organization, it's almost out of character. Or maybe I just really don't like Templars.


End file.
